Make My Heart A Better Place
by RocketRaccoon15
Summary: With Ego gone and the galaxy safe once again, the Guardians venture across the universe to find the biological mother of the youngest member in their team. Along the way, Gamora bumps into a significant figure from her past...
1. L'Wit

**A/N:** This is the sequel to Rockin' Robin. I would advise reading that one first or you'll probably be pretty confused. ANYWAYS! Enjoy! ^_^

* * *

 _A shipwreck_...perfect for ship parts. A young teen with short green hair, ran towards it. Her golden eyes lit up once she saw the spacecraft in pieces. She needed to salvage as much as she could to build her own ship. Ubilex wasn't a planet to receive many visitors as it was nearly impossible to escape.

The post-apocalyptic planet was taken off the grid for the safety of others. It was a place that used to be the perfect vacation spot and drew visitors of all species...at least until a nearby star crashed into it. The last person to escape was twenty years ago. The young girl was just an infant when she was sent there. She knew it was for her safety. She was told that she was supposed to be executed right after her birth, but her father wouldn't allow it and sent her to a planet that couldn't be easily accessed.

Ship crashes were rare on Ubilex, being a place that is basically a death trap. Of all the planets her father could've hid her in, it had to be Ubilex. However, she _was_ being hidden from execution.

The girl ran to the wreckage. She looked around for any survivors. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

As the smoke dissipated, a slender figure came into view. A gloved hand covered her pale, reptilian-like skin as she squinted, trying to get a better look at the mysterious figure. An emerald-skinned girl, only a few years older than her, exited the ship, covered in cuts and bruises. The younger girl ran over to her, wrapping an arm around her to steady her, and helped her sit on the ground once they were out of the wreckage. She studied her a little more closely from the various silver scars upon her face to her wavy, black and red tresses. "You all right?" She asked in concern. "Wait, were you piloting that thing?"

A green hand made it's way to her forehead as she groaned in pain. She moved a little, hissing at the slight movement she made. "Is this Ubilex?"

"Unfortunately." The girl remained silent for a moment and furrowed her eyebrows. "Who are you?"

"Gamora."

The golden eyes of the younger girl crinkled as she gave Gamora a warm smile. "L'Wit."

* * *

 ** _7 Years Later…_**

"What are we doing here again?" It was a usual, sunny day on Xandar, fans occasionally approaching them. Maia was scanning her surroundings in awe. She had been to the planet before, but she never paid much attention to the beautiful sights of the city.

The emerald woman was practically dragging her along by the hand. "We are going to see what kind of information the Nova Corps can dig up about you." The petite child looked up at her with curious eyes, raising an eyebrow. Gamora's lips twitched up a little, giving her a soft, yet sad, smile. "In other words, we're trying to find out who your mother is."

A small frown made it's way to the young girl's lips. "But, you're my mom."

"No, Maia. Your _real_ mother." She watched as Maia's eyes sadly shifted away from hers. The woman felt the warmth of Peter's body heat radiating onto her skin as he gradually walked closer to her. His large, calloused hand slightly brushed her free one as if asking for consent to hold it. Gamora subconsciously skimmed her fingers over his and intertwined their fingers together. Luckily, they were behind the rest of the group, able to avoid Rocket's obnoxious teasing.

The Nova Corps headquarters building was just how they remembered it- large and almost transparent with their official, gold emblem in midst of it all. As soon as they entered, Irani Rael was waiting to greet them. "Guardians, it's a pleasure to see you once again." She turned to Peter, with her hands clasped in front of her. "Although this is _quite_ a surprise to us all, on behalf of the Nova Corps, we congratulate you, Mr. Quill." The man nodded in thanks.

Nova Prime knelt down in front of Maia and gave her a soft smile. The young girl returned the gesture and took a deep breath. "We need you to take a series of tests...is that alright?"

Maia shifted her small eyes up to Gamora's. The woman nodded as if giving her permission to leave. The slightly larger, green hand untangled itself from Maia's smaller one and softly nudged her forward. "Yup." Maia whispered shyly. She watched as Irani stood up and reached for her hand. She hesitantly took it and looked behind her as her family disappeared from view.

"Peter, they wouldn't do any harmful tests on her, right?" Gamora asked, thumbing the back of his hand.

Peter turned his head towards her, furrowing his eyebrows. "No, why would they do that?" He bent down enough to reach her ear and whispered, "Hey, I promise, she'll be fine." The woman nodded, squeezing his hand in reassurance. He smiled, squeezing hers in return.

"This is gonna take forever!" Rocket groaned, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"Then restock the ship, dipshit!" Peter snapped. He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "Sorry, I haven't been getting much sleep. I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

Rocket would've snapped back at him, but he couldn't find it in him to. He knew how much pain Peter was in...what he was going through. His let his ears droop and gazed at the floor, uneasily. "Eh, restocking the ship doesn't sound like a bad idea...Drax. Mantis. You guys coming?"

The bug-like woman's antennae lit up. "Oh! That sounds wonderful!" She chirped as she quickly made her way to exit the building.

"I am in need of a few commodities. I will accompany you."

Gamora waited for the rest of their team to leave before pulling Peter over to an eggshell-white divan sofa that was laying against one of the transparent walls. They sat down and stared at each other intently, their hands still intertwined. "Peter-"

"What?"

"Why didn't you tell me that you haven't been able to sleep?" She heard a soft sigh escape Peter's lips, when he looked away.

"I have to be honest, I love watching you sleep. I know that came off really creepily, but-"

"Peter."

"Sorry." He took another deep breath. Ever since they had to share a bed on Ego, they hadn't slept apart from each other. Although they hadn't made it official, they considered the captain's quarters as 'their' bunk. Both of them, especially Gamora, found it more relaxing and easier to sleep in each other's embrace at night. "Even though that first part is true,-" Gamora rolled her eyes playfully. "I didn't want to tell you because you rarely get sleep and I didn't want you to stay awake, worrying about me."

The emerald-skinned woman grabbed his other hand with her free one and turned towards him. "Listen, that doesn't matter anymore. The point is I know, now. Is it because of what happened on-"

"It's because I didn't listen to you and I almost got everyone killed!" The leader snapped, pulling his hands away and clasping them tight in his lap. "I almost got everyone killed, including Maia...and you." He couldn't look her in the eye, feeling too guilty to attempt to.

"Peter,-" Gamora whispered, sliding her fingers up to his chin, turning his head to face hers. "Look at me. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't my fault. Ego fooled us both and we made mistakes. It happens, Peter." She cupped his cheek and smiled softly at him. "We're okay." He returned the gesture, placing his hand on top of hers.

* * *

"Momma! Daddy!" Maia called from a distance, flailing her arms as she ran to the two Guardians and jumped into Peter's arms. They were all getting used to Peter being her biological father and Gamora finally admitting aloud to be her adoptive mother. It was a good thing to get used to, though. Both, Peter and Gamora, never thought of the day they would ever become parents, but they were determined to be the best they could be.

"How were the tests?" Gamora asked, taking the young girl's small, ivory hand in hers.

She scrunched up her face a little as she shrugged, clearly showing off her resemblance to Peter in both, attitude and appearance. "They were okay. They asked me questions and put a needle in me and it sucked my blood into a tubey-thingy."

Not too long after the petite child returned to her parents, Nova Prime exited from one of the restricted areas with a some-what disappointed glower on her face. The two Guardians knew that expression fairly well - something went wrong. She stopped several feet from them and clasped her hands in front of her. "The good news is that we identified almost every significant attribute to her-"

"But you couldn't find out who her mother was." Peter interrupted, nodding his head in disappointment.

"I'm afraid so. We were also unable to locate the place in which she was born. Whoever raised her wanted to keep her hidden-"

"Off the grid."

"I am sorry, Mr. Quill. We did everything we could."

Gamora stepped up, letting go of Maia's hand. "Is there any information that you found that could possibly help us?"

Without a second glace, Irani pulled a data-chip out of her pocket, holding it out to Gamora. "This is all the information we discovered about Maia. Hopefully, we found something that will help you."

The emerald-skinned woman took the small object from her. "Thank you."

"We wish you the best of luck."

* * *

She held Gamora's slender hand on their way back to the ship, a disappointed pout on her heart-shaped face. Dragging her feet along with her, she gazed at the ground, not watching where she was going.

Out of the corner of his eye, Peter saw the frustration in Maia's hazel eyes. "Hey." The young girl shifted her eyes towards his, moving her head just enough to see him. "I promise, we won't give up until we find her."

Maia nodded sadly, turning her head back towards the ground. It wasn't until she noticed a strange hooded figure behind them that she looked up. Glancing behind her to get a better look, she realized that it was gone and turned back around, confused. A moment of ease past before she sensed the hooded figure following them again. She remembered her promise to Yondu and let go of Gamora's hand, starting to charge towards the figure.

The figure spun around and started running in the opposite direction. Maia finally caught up, ignoring the sounds of Peter and Gamora calling her name. She flung her leg at the figure's back, causing it to lose it's balance. As soon as it steadied itself, the figure turned around, watching as Maia began to charge towards it again. It sent a roundhouse kick towards the young girl. She went flying, landing gracefully on her knees, using a hand to hold herself up. The figure started to charge towards her. Maia jumped to the side, dodging the attack. She quickly sprung behind the figure and flipped it over, pinning it to the ground.

"MAIA!" Gamora called out as her and Peter caught up to her.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" The petite child screamed at the hooded figure. "SHOW YOURSELF!"

The emerald-skinned woman pulled Maia off of it, apologizing for her actions. "What are you doing?!"

"SHE WAS FOLLOWING US! I was trying to protect you guys..."

The figure started to move, but froze as soon as it felt Gamora glaring at it. "Who are you?" The woman asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

A pale hand pulled the hood back, slowly, and revealed strands of green hair. Gamora's brown eyes bore into the figure's golden ones. She recognized the girl from her past. "L'Wit?"


	2. Distant Allies

"Why _were_ you following us?" Gamora's black and red tresses whipped around to face L'Wit.

They had just returned to the Quadrant, leaving Xandar in their new ship that Peter unsurprisingly named, the "Benatar". Even though they were able to salvage their belongings that survived the crash and the Ravangers, the ship was irreparable.

L'Wit's golden eyes flickered up to the brown in front of her. "The refugees followed me-" She started out, rage firing in her eyes. "Looked at me as their leader. They even started to call me ' _Princess_ '." The young woman took a breath and dug out the ring that used to hang around her neck by a chain. "Seven years and the damn Badoon Royale still won't give me a break. They found us and we were outnumbered.

"Drouug, their general...he threatened us- Told me that if I didn't claim my throne as the princess, they would annihilate every single citizen who followed me. Their deaths would be merciless and painful. And as much as I _hated_ my ancestors, I had to protect those innocent people. I agreed to go with them, but the civilians started a rebellion. They went against my orders to stay with Klaxon...I told them to look at him for leadership...he knocked me unconscious and I was thrown in a pod, launched into space.

"When I woke up...I flew back, hoping that maybe, just maybe, the Badoon left them alone." A tear escaped from L'Wit's eye as she took a deep breath. "I got out of my pod and...there were no survivors. Klaxon was alive, but barely. I ran over to him and tried to save him, but he shook his head and told me it was too late. He died in my arms, Gamora."

The warrior eyed L'Wit in remorse, her brown eyes welling up. "L'Wit, I-"

"Don't." The princess interrupted, adjusting her long, off-white scarf. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and let out a sniffle. "I wasn't following you for pity." Gamora blinked at the young woman's snap. For the small time she knew L'Wit, she never thought the Badoon would have such a cold side to her. "I was following you because I _need_ your help. I wasn't just going to sit there and grieve over those men, women and children who lost their lives, protecting me. I want to avenge them. Kill every last one of those damn soldiers who took part in killing them. I want to make sure they don't touch another innocent soul ever again.

"I began hunting them down, one by one. They split up in several groups, searching for me. They had no clue that I was also looking for them. Over the past few months, I was able to find data on their whereabouts. A few weeks ago, I found one of the groups and before killing the last soldier, I interrogated him. He told me that the Badoon had restored their alliance with Thanos. He also informed me that one of Thanos' hideouts had been mostly abandoned- Said there was...a data-base with everything Thanos had information on, including his alliance with the Badoon. Thanos is apparently looking for something."

"What is he looking for?" Drax asked in his deep roar.

"I'm not sure. The soldier died before he could answer."

"Where are you going with this, L'Wit?" Gamora questioned, a slight warning in her voice.

"I snuck into the hideout. I was able to reach the data-base and I found files on the Badoon. I tried to encrypt them, but I didn't get very far. My cover was blown and some of the guards started to attack me. I should've brought a data-chip and copied the files onto it...what I'm trying to say is...you know Thanos better than anyone. Maybe between you and your team, you could help me?" The look on Gamora's face let L'Wit know that she wasn't going to help her. "Gamora, there's something else you should know before you answer-" Her dark tone faded and became more soft. "It was the same lab you were experimented on."

The emerald-skinned woman opened her mouth to say something, but Peter interrupted, "How do you know that?" The half-Terran glared at the woman suspiciously, puffing out his chest as if to intimidate her. Gamora placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. His stiff posture relaxed when Gamora gazed into his eyes, letting him know that she wasn't a threat.

"There were files on you, too. I was curious and I was able to encrypt a small portion of your file. That's how I found out. I know it's a lot to ask, but I really need your help."

Gamora thought about it, turning her head towards Maia, who was sitting in one of the passenger seats, fiddling with Peter's Zune. She was alone and that was the way she wanted it to be. Groot had offered to play with her several times, but she declined, making Groot wonder what he did to upset her. Of course he didn't do anything, but he didn't know that. The poor child was already going through so much with the aftermath of Ego. She wasn't the same girl she used to be. Gamora remembered Maia's personality before the battle with Ego. The petite girl was _bubbly_. _Playful_. _Happy_. Now, she was in a bubble, filled with anxiety and fear. Sure, she had her moments where her old self came out, but it was very rare. She didn't dance or sing, anymore. When Peter would try to get her to sing, calling her his _Rockin' Robin_ , she told him to stop because didn't want to sing anymore. She told him she never would, ever again.

They all worried about her. Even Mantis and Kraglin, despite only knowing her for a short week. Gamora worried about her most, constantly asking Peter if she would ever be the same again. What worried her most, is when Peter didn't answer at all.

"I'm sorry, L'Wit." The older woman said, focusing her attention back to her. "I can't. It's-it's _too_ dangerous." L'Wit nodded, understanding why she declined to help. Gamora sighed, feeling a bit guilty for having to say no. "But, we _do_ have a spare cabin. It's yours if you want to stay for awhile."

"Thank you." The pale woman met Gamora's brown eyes and smiled softly. "I guess a small break wouldn't hurt. It'd be nice to catch up."

* * *

Yondu's old bed was more comfortable than Peter imagined. Being a filthy, space pirate, he always thought that the blue Centaurian was like the rest of the Ravengers, sleeping in creaky, hard mattresses. Maybe, it wasn't the bed, though. Maybe, it was the woman curled up in his chest that made it so comfortable. It was getting late in space-time and everyone was getting ready to hit the hay. After getting Maia and Groot settled in bed, both, Peter and Gamora, had decided to take a look at what information Nova Prime was able to dig up about Maia's heritage.

With the lights out, Peter wrapped his arm around Gamora, grabbing onto the other side of the data-pad he was holding. The emerald-skinned woman was tucked into his side with her head on his chest and and a hand resting on his abdomen. He placed the data-chip into the device as they both watched the transparent, blue-tinted screen load the files from it.

Various documents popped up as Peter tapped them. They both studied the first, carefully:

 **Name:** Quill, Maia

 **Current Age:** 5 Earth Years

 **Date of Birth:** 8/4/2009

 **Place of Birth:** Unknown

 **Height:** 145 Microbules **Weight:** 263 Grets

 **Species:** Terran, Celestial, Unknown Maternal Heritage

 **Eye Color:** Hazel **Hair Color:** Black/Purple

 **Skin Tone:** Ivory **Prominent Features:** N/A

He tapped the screen again, revealing a second document:

 **Medical History:**

 **Medications:** N/A

 **Allergies:** Pollen, Yarpes

 **Mental/Physical Illnesses:** Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

 **Previous Critical Injuries:** Fractured Arm (Left), Various Stab Wounds, Minor Concussion, Minor Burns

Peter tapped the screen one more time, only to find the documents had come to an end. He turned off the data-pad and tossed it to the foot of the bed. Sighing, he looked down at Gamora. "Well, we know not to feed her anything with yarpes in it."

"Peter," Gamora started softly, rubbing her hand across his abdomen.

"I thought they would've found more than this." The ex-Ravenger breathed, slightly tightening his grip on her.

"Can you think of anyone at all who could possibly be her mother?"

Peter stiffened a little in embarrassment. He was ashamed of all the women he had one-night stands with. It especially sent chills down his spine when he discussed it with Gamora. "No." He choked out.

The woman tilted her head up, only to see his embarrassment. She placed a hand on his cheek. "The past is in the past, Peter. Remember what you told me?"

A slight smile jumped onto Peter's lips as he spoke, "It doesn't matter who we were, then. What matters is who we are, now."

"Exactly. I'm not saying what you did was right, but what matters is you're not that person anymore."

A moment of silence passed after Peter nodded in agreement. He began thumbing her arm as they both stared off into space. "Why aren't you gonna help L'Wit?"

"I want to, but...Maia." Gamora shook her head as if it would make the words come out easier. "Peter, we can't. _I_ can't. Maia is still processing everything that happened with...we can't. There's also the fact that she wants us to go into Thanos' territory. Do you know how dangerous that is?"

The half-Terran kissed the top of her head, feeling her body relax under his arm. "I know, but L'Wit said it was abandoned-"

"Mostly abandoned." The woman corrected.

"Whatever. The point is, Thanos isn't there anymore. We'll bring a data-chip, upload the info on there and leave. Mantis can watch over Maia and Groot while we're gone. We'll be fine... _they'll_ be fine, I promise."

Gamora sighed, rethinking her decision. "Fine." She agreed hesitantly, nuzzling a bit further into Peter's chest. "Is it selfish that I want to go to find out what information Thanos still has on me?" She felt the man shake his head above her.

"Nah. Listen, Gamora, you deserve to know whatever is on that data-base about you. Don't feel selfish for wanting to know that." A few minutes passed before a question, lingering in his mind, finally slipped out, "Why didn't you ever tell me about L'Wit before?" He felt Gamora shrugging slightly.

"I don't know." She sighed. "I guess I haven't really thought about her that much until today."

* * *

The room she was given on the Quadrant was finally personalized with the belongings she had left on the Milano. Her adoptive mother had just tucked her into bed for the night, but she couldn't sleep. Partially, because of the fact that she felt guilty for attacking L'Wit. _Mostly_ , because of the events that happened on Ego.

Hoping that apologizing to L'Wit would help her sleep easier, Maia slipped out of her old, purple comforter, setting her bare feet on the cold floor. She grabbed Teeka by her leg and crept over to the young woman's temporary cabin.

Peeking her head through the doorway, Maia saw the rebellious princess sitting on her bed with her legs tangled like a pretzel. She was so focused on reading something on her data-pad that she didn't notice the girl in her doorway. Maia knocked softly on the wall, walking further into the doorway with her head hung low.

L'Wit turned her data-pad off and furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Maia?" She set the device aside, turning towards the small child. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"I'm-I'm sorry for attacking you earlier."

"Don't be sorry, Maia," The woman said gently. "I understand why you did. You were trying to protect your family." Maia stood there awkwardly before she began to leave. "Hey," The young girl stopped, turning back around to face L'Wit. She patted the bed next to her. "Come here."

She watched as the partially black-haired child hesitantly approached her. Gamora had told her of the events on Ego and how it affected the young girl. She saw how the broken child affected _Gamora_. For some odd reason, L'Wit was determined to fix both of them and she was starting with Maia. She smiled softly as the girl sat down next to her.

"Gamora told me you love to sing-"

"I used to." Maia interrupted.

"Why don't you sing anymore? Gamora said you had a beautiful voice."

The child shrugged. "I just don't like to anymore."

L'Wit twisted her face to the side before standing up. She picked up the data-pad next to her and started playing an upbeat foreign tune. "Your dad said you love to dance."

"Not anymore."

The woman smirked, pulling the girl onto her feet. "Well, I want to learn how to dance...you think you could teach me a few moves?" Maia thought about it for a moment before smirking back and accepting L'Wit's request.


	3. Sleepless Nights

The only time Maia ever acted like her old self, was when she first woke up in the morning. She would run into the captain's quarters and tackle Peter, notifying both, he and Gamora, that she was awake. In response, the girl's father would turn over, laying down face-first and asking for five more minutes. Gamora would chuckle sleepily when Maia would throw herself on top of his back and dramatically advised him that she was going to starve if he didn't make her his infamous waffles. Peter would eventually give in and head to the kitchen, Maia following closely behind.

That was how they normally woke up in the morning. Unfortunately, Gamora woke up in an unusual way. She was facing Peter's back with her arms and legs wrapped around him. Her brown eyes slowly fluttered open, taking in the scent of Peter as well. The ex-Ravenger hummed in contentment when he felt Gamora nuzzle into his back.

"Peter?" The emerald-skinned woman mumbled sleepily. "Where's Maia?" She let out a soft yawn as Peter turned over to face her with his hazel eyes dozily gazing into hers in confusion. "Didn't she wake you up?"

"What are you talking about? She normally wakes both of us up at the same time." He explained in a raspy morning voice. "What time is it, anyway?"

Gamora turned to look at the holographic clock on the opposite side of the room. Her eyes grew wide as she jumped out of bed, grabbing her thin cardigan and pulling it over her back tank-top. "It's almost eleven. We've slept in for six hours, Peter-something isn't right..." She watched as the cabin door slid open, not even bothering to untuck her long, unkempt hair from the cardigan. It eventually loosely fell out while she speed-walked to the galley, Peter following her suit as he struggled to keep up and put a shirt on at the same time.

The laughter in the galley subdued once Gamora entered with a worried expression. Rocket started chuckling when Peter appeared seconds later adjusting the bottom of his shirt. "Please tell me you guys didn't-" The woman's glare cut off his laughter immediately.

"Where's Maia?" She asked the group, not taking her eyes off of the raccoon, who was ducking slightly.

"I thought she was with you." Drax shrugged.

"As did I." Mantis agreed, raising her hand as if to take a vote.

"Why ya' askin' me?" Kraglin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I haven't seen her since last night." L'Wit explained, holding her elbows, looking at the ground uncomfortably. "Is it possible that she's still sleeping?"

Peter and Gamora shared a worried look before sprinting to Maia's cabin, the others following closely behind. With her heart pounding out of chest, the ex-assassin violently pushed the button that slid the young girl's door open.

* * *

Her small room was cleaner that it was when they had first arrived, thanks to Gamora's disapproval of the small child sleeping in a filthy room. The grungy, rusted flooring was now shiny, yet not as metallic as it probably once was. The grime on the walls were gone and the small, circular window in her room was finally clean enough to see through. The wide dresser next to the doorway was filled with various Terran toys that Peter had found for her over time: a white Lite Brite, a Friend Bear plush, a red View-Master, a naked troll doll with pink hair, a baby blue Glo Worm, a few coloring books with a box of crayons, and a few unboxed Star Wars figures.

On the opposite side of the room sat Maia's bed. Teeka and her silky, basil green pillows were scattered on the ground beside her bed. A vintage Star Wars quilt was bundled into a large ball with her comforter on the top of her bed.

Gamora sighed in relief once she saw the pile of bed covers steadily move up and down. "Maia, you overslept. How late did you go to bed last night?" As she got closer to the bed, she noticed the blankets weren't moving steadily up and down, but violently shaking. "Maia?" She removed them, revealing the young child. She was paler than usual, her eyes squeezed shut. Snot ran down her face, a little dripping onto the bed. Underneath the perspiration on her face, were a blood red nose and cheeks rosier than the reddest rose on Terra. Her mouth was gaped open, audible congested breaths escaping from it.

The woman's brown eyes grew wide as she plopped herself down next to the young girl and placed a hand on her forehead. She whipped her head towards around the group of people gathered outside of the room with worry in their eyes. "Peter, I need you to get me a cold rag, now. Rocket, set coordinates for Xandar. Drax, make her a small bowl of yaro root broth." She shifted her eyes to L'Wit, who was looking at the ground beside her, rubbing her arm. "Our trip to the lab is going to have to wait. Maia's extremely ill. We need to get her to the Xandarian Medical Center as soon as we can." L'Wit nodded, before moving out of Peter's way as he returned with a cold washcloth.

"Here." Peter breathed, shoving the rag at Gamora. Quickly ripping it out of Peter's hand, the ex-assassin started to gently dab the small child's face.

Maia didn't open her eyes. In fact, she did the exact opposite. She squeezed her eyes shut, letting out a quiet, yet heartbreaking, whimper. The viscous fluids running down her throat started to fill her lungs, throwing her into a croup. The barks tearing from her throat made Gamora's heart race.

"Peter, go to the lavatory and shut the door. Turn on all the spigots to the hottest temperature possible. The steam will break down the mucus membranes in her chest and subdue her cough." The man nodded in concern and did as he was told, pushing through the crowd of people watching worriedly through the doorway. Gamora gently tucked one arm under the girl's thin legs and the other under her neck. She lifted her on the count of three, carrying her bridal style. Maia let out a sharp cry in pain and quickly placed a hand on her forehead. The woman began to shush and inform the small child that she was going to be okay in an attempt to calm her down. She sent a dirty look toward the group of people surrounding the outside of the room, clearly telling them to get out of her way. The must have read her mind since as soon as she began to approach them, they stepped aside, allowing her to exit.

* * *

The lavatory was very confined and gave the duo limited space. Gamora sat down on the seat of the toilet as Peter stood at an awkward angle, watching as the young girl relaxed into her arms. Although Maia's wheezing had stopped, her whimpering did not. Peter slowly knelt down and placed his hand upon her forehead. "Shit." He whispered, realizing that her temperature was spiking once again.

The emerald woman watched as Peter dug through the bathroom cabinets. He pulled out a rusted silver box and took off the lid. "Goddammit." Peter said under his breath. "I'm going to kill Rocket."

"What's wrong, now?"

"That bastard never bought pain killers when they were out stocking the ship!" Peter turned around and saw Maia squeezing her eyes shut in pain, while nuzzling as far into Gamora as she could. The sight broke his heart; he didn't know what to do. He knew that if he was sick, Maia was sure to come up with some creative remedies that would make him feel better, even in the smallest. She would boss around everyone on the ship, making sure Peter would get the care he needed. She would make up stories that could keep you engaged forever. She would make sure there was always music softly playing through the intercom. It wasn't until that very thought that Peter came up with an idea.

"What are you doing?" Gamora asked, slowly standing up from the toilet seat. She flinched a little once she heard Maia whine from the movement.

"I'm going to play some music through the intercom-"

"You can't." The woman interrupted a little harsher than intended. "If you open the door, the steam will escape the room. Maia needs to stay in here for at least twenty minutes. I think it would be best if we kept as much steam in here as possible."

Peter pulled his hand away from the latch, nodding. He moved away from the door and started to watch Maia again. Without a second thought, he started humming the familiar melody to a song he deemed his and Gamora's. His arms made their way around Gamora's abdomen from the back.

"Peter,-"

"Trust me." The man continued to hum as he unwrapped one of his arms from Gamora's abdomen and started to lightly play with Maia's knotted, curly hair. Then, it was quiet. There was no more whining.

Gamora violently looked down at the child in her arms, thinking of the worst. She couldn't help but smile in relief once she realized the child was nuzzling into her chest. All of the tension built up in the Zen-Whoberi disappeared as she relaxed in Peter's embrace.

"My back-up plan worked." Peter whispered in the woman's ear, snapping her from her thoughts. She leaned back a little, laying her head against his chest. The man began to sway slowly, returning his arm to Gamora's abdomen.

The three of them remained that way for what seemed like forever. A smile crept on Maia's face as she soaked up all of the warmth around her. It wasn't until Peter began singing the lyrics that Maia almost chimed in:

' _I get a strange magic_

 _Oh, what a strange magic_

 _Oh, it's a strange magic_

 _Got a strange magic_

 _Got a strange magic'_


	4. My Mind Is Racing

All of them hated hospitals, having been there way too many times. Mantis had never been to one, but the amount of emotions-fear, grief, relief, joy-it was all too much to handle at a time. Yet, somehow, she managed to keep it all in. She remained quiet for the few hours they'd been sitting there, but nobody expected anything more.

Everyone got uptight when Maia was ripped out of Gamora's arms, and rushed into the emergency room. They were told to wait, causing Gamora to go into a state of rage and try to attack them. Luckily, Peter was able to hold her back, calming her down. Now, here they were, five hours later and still no word on Maia.

They were all sitting on leather, navy armchairs scattered around the waiting room. Peter, however, was pacing. The transparent walls revealed nurses and doctors rushing about the halls. Everything was silent, despite the sounds of the intercom beeping and the whining of a young toddler, who was sitting on his mother's lap in front of them. The Krylorian woman who held the child in her lap, stared at the strange family in front of her-specifically Gamora, who mirrored her position with a small Groot upon her lap. Gamora hadn't even noticed the woman as she was staring off into space. Groot frequently stretched his roots out enough to caress her check, giving her reassuring smiles. Having a mothering nature to her, the emerald woman would return the smile before staring off again.

Rocket on the other hand, _did_ notice the woman's disturbed look. "Ya' wanna stop lookin' at us like we're a buncha freaks? Just because we don't look alike doesn't mean we ain't family, you das't idiot! Either getcha kid to shut the hell up or stop staring at us!"

The woman stood up with her child, scoffed, and walked to the other side of the room. Gamora glared at Rocket. "Rocket, shut up! Peter, stop the pacing!"

The raccoon lowered his ears and slouched against the chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Hey, she's the one who's judging-"

Peter whipped around, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Who the hell cares?! Maia is in the E.R. right now and nobody's giving us any frickin' clues to if she okay or not." He pinched his nose and shook his head. Gamora stood up, placing Groot on the chair. She walked up to Peter and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"She's gonna be okay." Peter turned around to meet her eyes. "Xandar has one of the best medical teams in the universe." He nodded, turning back around towards the transparent glass walls enclosing the room. The worried expression on the man's face became one of hope as a tall, beautiful, Xandarian nurse approached the door of the waiting room with a data pad held against her chest. His eyes followed her every movement as she walked in.

Gamora never admitted it aloud, but she secretly got jealous whenever Peter would stare intently at another woman besides her. However, this time she didn't because she knew why he was doing it. Not because the woman was attractive, but because she was the only with information on Maia. The nurse's eyes, colored as the deepest ocean in the universe, scanned the the room. "May I speak to the parents of Maia Quill?"

Peter and Gamora locked eyes before approaching the nurse suit. The rest of the Guardians arose from their chairs, curious as to why the nurse only wanted to speak to their leaders. The flawless Xandarian gave the couple a gentle smile and looked down at her datapad. "So," Peter started out shakily as they stopped a few feet from her. "Is she gonna be okay?"

The nurse nodded with a large smile upon her face. "She will be just fine. Maia has a Terran illness by the name of ' _pneumonia_ '. All it is, is a build-up of fluid in her lungs. She'll need to stay in the hospital overnight, just to be sure that there's nothing else wrong with her. Other than that, she'll have to take some antibiotics." Peter sighed in relief and nodded.

"I was just wondering," The man started out, in a curious tone. "Why couldn't the others hear this? Is there something else wrong?"

The nurse's soft smile soon faded as she tilted her head back down towards her datapad. "Unfortunately, there is. I'm aware that you two know of her post traumatic stress, yes?" The two nodded, Gamora biting her lip and Peter sneaking his hand into hers. "Maia is a very special girl; she has Celestial blood, she's extremely intelligent-but with that being said, she's special in another way as well. A child this young at age who has an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and on top of that, post traumatic stress,-she needs to be monitored more than you think."

Peter scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. The poor kid's been through a lot."

"She's strong." The nurse said with a soft smile. "We're going to put her on some antibiotics. Other than that, be sure she gets plenty of sleep and fluids." Peter nodded, looking towards the ground rather at her. "I know you said she has difficulties sleeping; my advice is to let her sleep with you two when that is an issue."

"Can we see her?" Gamora interrupted, only wanting to see the young child for herself.

"Yes, of course."

* * *

The bright sun rays shone down onto the unconscious child's ghostly pale skin. She was lying still as a statue on a floating, egg-shaped hospital bed. It was silver with several glowing rectangles of blue showing the child's vitals and personal information on the sides. The child was clad in white long johns and covered with a silky, white quilt. Her partially ebony hair was extremely tangled and she looked as if someone gave her two black eyes.

The transparent door that separated the room from the hall, slid open as soft, yet audible, footsteps entered. A sudden addition of weight caused the bed to descend closer towards the ground before it levitated back to its original height. A gentle hand caressed the young child's pale cheek.

The young girl's small eyelids fluttered open, revealing her beautiful brown eyes. She smiled softly once she noticed who was sitting beside her.

"Maia."

"Momma." The young girl whispered in a hoarse voice.

"Hi." Gamora said softly as the corners her lips twitched upward. "Go back to sleep, my brave, little warrior. You need your rest." She cautiously ran her fingers through the child's hair, trying to avoid pulling on the knots. It seemed like only seconds had passed before the girl's eyelids fluttered shut.

The rest of the Guardians stood in front of the door, watching over the two as if they could be attacked at any moment. It wasn't long before Peter pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on, and took a seat next to Gamora.

"I am relieved that our youngest friend is alright." Mantis whispered, softly smiling at the sleeping child.

"I am Groot." The small tree said as he sat upon the bug-like alien's shoulder with his legs dangling down.

"Groot says that he's glad she's okay, too." Rocket translated from beside them.

"On the brigh' side, we only have ta hear one kid screamin' and yellin'. It'd be nice ta get sum' sleep 'round here once in er' while."

"Kraglin, they're kids-what did you expect them to be...quiet?" L'Wit stated in a sarcastic tone. The Ravanger looked at her as if that was exactly what he thought. "Are you serious?"

"I mean, Quill could be a pain at times, but fer' the most part, he was purdy quiet."

The green-haired girl gave him a look of disbelief and shook her head. "That's because you guys probably scared the shit outta him. He was probably too afraid to speak up." All the man could do was shrug, earning a small eye roll from L'Wit.

Drax, who was uncharacteristically quiet since they arrived at the hospital, finally spoke up, "I don't understand-".

Being the only one to have heard his barely audible whisper, L'Wit whipped her head around towards him. "What?"

"Gamora-she is still presiding as Maia's mother, yet she knows that once we find her biological mother, she will no longer be of assistance to Maia."

"Wait, what?!" L'Wit scrunched up her face in disbelief. "That's not true! Maia can still consider Gamora a mother, even when...if...we can find her biological mother."

Drax ignored her statement and continued his point, "Furthermore, once her mother is found, it would only be reasonable for both of her biological parents to raise her together-which, unfortunately, would mean Quill and Gamora would have to part ways as lovers."

L'Wit gaped at him, astonished at the words coming from his mouth. "Drax, even if we find her mother, that doesn't mean Gamora and Peter have to break up! It's obvious that her biological mother wants nothing to do with her anyways, being absent all of her life!"

"You don't know that. There are certain circumstances in which a parent must make a difficult decision, knowing what's best for their children. I should know."

"You...have kids." L'Wit raised an eyebrow, not believing a word he said.

Drax sighed and crossed his arms. "Had-" He corrected. "Her name was Kamaria. She was slaughtered in cold blood along with her mother-my wife-Hovat."

Although, the tattooed man would not look at her, L'Wit looked at him with nothing but guilt and somber in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Drax...I didn't know-"

"Apologizing will not change the past. They are deceased and one day, I will get my revenge."

Just as L'Wit turned around, the man muttered something inaudible under his breath. "What was that?" She asked in a warning tone.

"I am going to tell Gamora what would be best for Maia and convince her to do so."

The somber that was once in the girl's golden eyes, turned to rage. "Don't you dare say a word to her! What Peter and Gamora feel is right for Maia, is between them-not them _and_ you!" The muscled man scoffed at her. "I mean it Drax!"

"You are still a child; you would not understand."


	5. Signed, Sealed, Delivered

**_The Next Night..._**

"And here's Teeka." Gamora set down the stuffed flerken beside the ill child. She grabbed the top of the baby blue quilt and pulled it closer towards Maia.

The young child was looking slightly better, having color slowly returning to her face. Her brown eyes were heavy and slowly fluttered shut.

"Goodnight, Maia."

"Night, Mommy."

Gamora tucked a lock of hair behind Maia's ear, before giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. She softly smiled before standing up and walking towards the door. A silhouette of a tall figure was leaning against the frame.

"How is she?" The silhouette whispered in a soft, yet deep voice, crossing his arms over his chest.

Gamora glanced over at the small child curled up in her quilt. "She still feels warm, but cooler than earlier. She's been coughing here and there, but not as much as she was." The green woman mirrored the silhouette's position, leaning against the opposite side of the door frame. They both turned their attention to the young girl who was finally asleep. Gamora looked at her with concern and didn't notice the man turning his attention towards her.

"She'll be fine, I promise." The silhouette grabbed both of the woman's hands and started to pull her away from the room.

"Peter, what are you-"

"Trust me, okay?" Peter continued guiding her, eventually letting go of one of her hands and gently interlacing their fingers with the other. He guided her to the docking bay, and opened the door.

The docking bay was packed with crates filled with food and supplies-some of which not as needed as others. It was still dark once the door slid open, which meant someone had manually turned out the lights. The only source of light came from the flame of a burning, Terran candle. It sat upon a makeshift table of crates, covered with a off-white sheet. A bottle of exotic wine and a red rose sat next to the candle, while both ends of the table were occupied with wine glasses and plates filled with a three course dinner. A slow, yet beautiful melody escaped the speakers that was connected to Peter's Zune.

Peter spoke up when he noticed that the green woman was silent, "It isn't much and I...um," The man cleared his throat nervously, avoiding eye contact with Gamora. "I haven't really been on a date before. I just sorta winged it-" Brown eyes shifted their attention towards the man's face. "I, uh...it was originally planned for last night, but Maia...and yeah." Peter paused waiting for a response. When there wasn't one, he finally turned towards the woman. "If it's too-"

Gamora interrupted him with a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." She whispered before guiding _him_ inside.

They sat down on the crates that were on either side of the makeshift table. Before Peter sat down, he poured wine in both of their glasses. "With everything that's been going on, we never really had a chance to go on a date-just the two of us, ya know?"

Gamora grinned shyly, looking down at the green folded hands in her lap. She slowly returned his gaze, unaware that she was biting on her bottom lip to prevent the tears from forming in her eyes. "Yeah."

They begun to eat-Gamora's eyes lighting up with pleasure when she tastes the delicacy of the meal. Peter quietly chuckled at her childish expression and continued to eat.

After a few moments of comfortable silence and soft music filling the air, Peter played with his food as if he had lost his appetite. "Gamora?" He whispered almost inaudibly, setting his fork on his plate. The woman looked up at him after taking a bite and did the same. "I've always been a huge sleeze. I've always hooked up with chicks and the next morning, I'd leave. I'm not proud of it, to be completely honest." Gamora reached out across the table and placed her hand on top of his, soaking up every word that left his mouth. He looked up, meeting her eyes. "Growing up with the Ravangers-they only taught me how to be a douche. That's the only person I knew how to be." He paused for a moment, turning over his hand and entwining them with Gamora's. "Jesus, this is gonna sound sappy as shit-that was until I met you." The green woman sat up straight, shifting her eyes from their intertwined hands to Peter's hazel eyes. "For some reason, ever since I met you, I just felt like we were somehow-"

"Connected?" Gamora interrupted, thumbing the back of his hand.

"Yeah...connected." They sat there in silence before Peter remembered something and started digging into the pocket of his jacket. He let go of her hand and turned it of placing something in the palm of it. "I found this at a kiosk yesterday, when I was shopping for the ship with Rocket and Groot."

Gamora opened her palm to a beautiful ring. She gaped at it, studying the detailed features. It had a black tungsten band styled in a prong setting. There was a princess cut emerald in the middle with two round cut emeralds on either side. The entire ring was coiled in black vines. Gamora took off the silver ring on her ring finger and carefully replaced it when the one she was given as if it could shatter with the slightest amount of pressure. She was speechless.

"My mom always talked about Ego coming to earth and giving her a promise ring. She said it symbolized how much a girl meant to a guy...or vise-versa, I guess." Just then, the lyrics of one of the songs Peter deemed his and Gamora's filled the room:

 _Highway run  
_ _Into the midnight sun  
_ _Wheels go round and round  
_ _You're on my mind_

Peter smiled softly and grabbed Gamora's hand, pulling her to the middle of the docking bay. He placed a hand on her hip as she placed her free hand on his shoulder. They began to slowly dance around the room, gazing into each other's eyes.

"What else did she say about this 'promise ring'?" They both looked at the ring. It stood out from the rest of her rings, being the only one that wasn't silver, but it was unique. It symbolized the unique bond she had with Peter.

The man began to finger it with his pinkie, returning his gaze to her eyes. "She actually told me that there was a saying that went with the ring."

Gamora gave him an amused smile. "Oh, yeah? What was that?"

"It went something like, 'I will be faithful to you. I will return to you when we are separated. I will be there for you. And I will be your best friend...forever." It seemed like they were the only two people left in the universe. The music faded away as Peter spoke and Gamora couldn't help but to gaze into his eyes. They stopped dancing. Peter looked at the woman in front of him as if he screwed up big time.

It was at that moment, Gamora realized that she was finally opening herself up to a new possibility. She remembered that day on Knowhere on the balcony when they first realized that they sorta _dug_ each other, as Peter would say. She remembered the time when Peter had referred to them as Sam and Diane. She knew one thing for sure-they were _not like Sam and Diane._ They were Peter and Gamora. She wanted Peter to realize that.

Gamora also realized there was something she wanted to try, but was too afraid of the outcome. However, she realized that right now was the perfect time for it. The emerald woman stood on her toes and without a warning, quickly pecked Peter on his lips. She quickly bounced back on her feet, awaiting his response.

Peter stood there for a minute in shock. "Are you sure?" He whispered, gradually getting at close as he could to her. The woman placed her hands on his chest and nodded, before looking up at him. Peter lowered his head to hers and kissed her. She deepened the kiss, raising her hands to his face and gently placing them on his cheeks. Peter ran his fingers through her hair.

On the other side of the transparent door, a muscle bound man watched the two with disappointment. He shook his head in disbelief as Peter picked up Gamora by her waist and the two started laughing. He walked away as they continued to laugh, ashamed of his friends.

"Peter, put me down!" Gamora laughed with her arms wrapped around Peter's neck as he spun her around. He did what he was told, kissing her one last time on the lips. For most of the night, the two stayed in the docking bay, dancing their hearts out.

 _I've done a lot of foolish things  
That I really didn't mean  
Hey, hey, yea, yea, didn't I, oh baby_

 _Seen a lot of things in this old world  
When I touched them they did nothing, girl  
Oo baby, here I am, signed, sealed delivered, I'm yours, oh I'm yours_


	6. Through Space and Time

_**One Week Later...**_

The roaring of the ship's motors filled her small temporary room. Every so often, the sounds of Drax and Rocket's loud, boisterous laughs, echoed throughout the ship. Other than that, it was silent. It had been that way most of the time she had stayed with the Guardians, but it had gotten better. It seemed as if the team was finally healing from the pain they felt from their fallen companion.

L'Wit sat cross-legged on her bed, clad in a black tank top and grey leather pants. Her long, seaweed green hair was pulled up into a topknot. She was lost in thought, folding her tan, woolen capelet, and placing it beside her as the news played on her data pad. The petite woman picked up yer tablet, thoughtlessly thumbing the screen with a blank face. She jumped when a quick, yet soft knock came from her door. "Come in!" L'Wit shouted as she picked up her data pad from the floor as it muffled the recent whereabouts of the Badoon Royale.

The rusted, metallic door slid open with a graunch. A lively young girl skipped into her room with a shy smile upon her lips. She stopped in front of L'Wit's temporary bed with her hands clasped behind her. She moved back a bit, realizing she was possibly in the woman's personal space. L'Wit smiled at her usual cute persona. She studied the young girl closely-she was wearing a spaghetti strap romper that had thin pink and white stripes towards the top and white lace towards the bottom. Her feet were covered with white, ruffled ankle socks and black flats. Her partially ebony hair was braided into a heart, which made her look a hundred times cuter.

"So, you're finally feeling better, huh?" Maia nodded with a huge smile. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Want me to show you some of my daddy's music?" The young girl asked quickly, flinching as if she would be hit.

L'Wit blinked for a moment in surprise. She scoffed a little in amusement as her lips twitched upward. "Sure! I'd love to."

As Maia began to play _'Hotel California'_ from Peter's Zune, little did she know that her father was watching her through the doorway from a distance. He had a relieved smile upon his lips. His daughter was finally starting to act like herself once again.

He was pulled from his thoughts when a hand gently laid itself upon his shoulder. Peter turned around for a moment with the same smile he had given her when she finally admitted their unspoken thing at Yondu's funeral. "Hey." He whispered, softly pulling the woman next to him and tucking her into his side. He gave her a quick peck on her forehead and thumbed her side. "Do you notice-"

"Yeah." She answered quickly as if she read his mind. They stood there for a moment in silence, watching as Maia grabbed both of L'Wit's hands and began to dance with her. Gamora breathed loudly through her nose. "It seems like ever since L'Wit joined us, Maia has been-"

"Mending?" Gamora quickly fixed her gaze towards Peter. She nodded, laying her head on his shoulder. "You never really told me much about L'Wit." Peter stated, after a few minutes of embracing Gamora in silence.

The green woman knew the statement was more of a question. She knew Peter was wanting her to tell him more about her time with L'Wit. She took a deep breath, preparing to tell him the long story:

"Thanos wasn't the only one who completely annihilated my planet and my people. He made an alliance with the Badoon Royale. I knew I couldn't escape Thanos-at least at that time. So, I went after the Badoon. I slaughtered one after the other in pure rage. It was the only way I felt I could be free. When I found out there was one last Badoon with royal blood, I couldn't help myself and I went on a hunt for her. That's how I ended up on Ubilex. L'Wit found me when my ship crashed.

"Not long after, we were attacked by the Oculus Cult. We fought side by side, but we were stuck inside a pit and they started to surround us from above. So I told L'Wit to try and reactivate the thrusters. She did it just in time and I tried to flee before she had the chance to ask me any more questions, but they managed to find me and took me as their sacrifice to the 'Unblinking Eyebof Mori'. They were idiots, couldn't tell what an earthquake was." Peter chuckled a bit as she continued on, "I saved a boy around L'Wit's age and he guided me to where I could find her.

"Long story short, I found her-she was taken by the Vestigials. I found her tied up to a chair in this old warehouse. Since I had realized she was the last of the Badoon Royale, I wasn't going to rescue her-at least not at first. She thought I was her savior and I noticed she was nothing, but an innocent girl.

"Being the insensible person I was, instead of immediately killing her, I let her put up a fight. She started crying. She didn't understand what she'd done to me and at that time I didn't care, I was in a blind rage. Then, she showed me that I wasn't the last Zen-Whoberi alive.

"At first, deep down I thought I was starting to heal. I had met their leader, Divadi. L'Wit tried to warn me of his intentions, but I wouldn't listen to her. I was going to go through with my plan and kill her, but she managed to escape. Divadi told me to leave her-until we found out that she had the missing piece of the puzzle that could help us escape from that planet. We left to look for her and right before we found her, Divadi left me to die in the hands of the Oculus Cult.

"Turns out, they also found L'Wit again and started attack her and her friends. I still didn't care about her I just needed her ring. The only reason why I helped her kill them was so that I could get it from her. Then, I cornered her. She told me that I could be something other than what I had already been made out to be. She almost fell into this large pool of lava, but I caught her by her necklace. That was the first time I'd felt fear." Peter noticed her entire body started to tense and tears had formed in her eyes. He held her closer as she continued her story.

"I was afraid that everything she had said in that moment, was true. As I was thinking about everything that was happening in that moment, L'Wit's necklace snapped and she started to fall. Then, the gravity changed and we started floating. We fought each other for that damn ring. Eventually, we stopped and I made a deal with Klaxon; we were all going to escape that planet and to do it we needed to work together, so I hesitantly agreed. As we began to make our escape I realized that everyone on that planet was like me. That was what made me more determined to help them escape. Then, Divadi decided to show up, again. Let's just say I returned the favor to him. I was able to escape with L'Wit and Klaxon before Ubilex was wiped from existence. We went our separate ways, L'Wit was the leader of her own people and at that point, I was hoping to figure out a way to kill Thanos." Gamora took a deep breath having finally finished her story. "I still can't forgive myself for wanting to kill her." She glanced back at the two girls dancing.

"Gamora," Peter started out softly, turning the green woman to face him. "That was in the past. You were still just a kid. What's important is who you are today." Gamora nodded, slowly wrapping her arms around Peter.

* * *

An hour of dancing had wiped Maia out as she fell asleep on L'Wit's bed with her head hanging off the edge. Peter walked to towards the bed, careful to not wake Maia. He gently slid a hand under her neck and the other under her legs. The young girl nuzzled into his chest, accidentally drooling on his shirt. He left the room, chuckling at the adorable sight.

Gamora walked in after Peter had left, slowly approaching L'Wit. The reptilian woman rubbed her arm awkwardly. "What's up?"

"I just-with Maia being so sick the past week, I haven't had the chance to talk to you in a while. How are you doing?" Gamora asked, leaning against the doorframe.

L'Wit tucked a lose piece of her long, green hair that escaped from her messy topknot behind her ear. "Um, good, I guess." The young woman fidgeted with a loose piece of thread that came off her capelet.

Gamora analyzed her behavior and sighed. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing!" The petite woman exclaimed too rashly. Her cheeks got red with embarrassment, as she stared at the piece of thread in her hands. "Nothing. I'm fine."

"L'Wit-"

A crease formed on L'Wit's forehead as she continued to fiddle with the thread. "Going to that lab means everything to me, but not because of what I'm looking for." She finally looked up at Gamora, who was staring back in confusion. "You helped me immensely all those years ago and I feel like I need to repay you in some way. You deserve to know everything that Thanos did to you, beyond what you were told."

Gamora slowly walked over to L'Wit's bed and gingerly sat down next to her. "Hey, Maia's doing a lot better now. I never said the trip was off." She gave the younger woman a soft smile.

"You've changed...a lot, you know?" She shifted her body towards Gamora's. "I mean when I first met you, you thought that the only way you'd be free was by killing off the entire bloodline of the Badoon Royale. Then, before you left, you felt like you deserved nothing. Now look at you-you have a daughter, you made a family out of people you once despised, hell, you even found someone who'd die for you. Gamora, everything you thought you didn't deserve, you have. The truth is, you did deserve it. You deserve all of it-all of them!"

Gamora thought about what Peter had said earlier that day. The past was the past and she had changed. Maybe she did deserve her dysfunctional, but at the end of the day, lovable family. She eventually nodded, wiping away a tear that fell from her eye and quickly rising to her feet. "I'll tell Rocket to set a course to the lab." L'Wit's lips twitched upward into a determined smile as she watched Gamora exit her room.

* * *

"We are arriving." Mantis announced, walking into the cargo hold, where everyone was gathered.

Peter clasped his hands together, after projecting a map of the lab on the wall. "Here's the plan. We'll split up into three teams: L'Wit and Gamora, me, Drax and Rocket, and finally, Mantis, Groot, Maia and Kraglin." Peter gestured to his team as he continued to explain his plan, "The four of you will stay in the Quadrant, while the rest of us take the Benatar to the lab. After we get there, L'Wit and Gamora will head into lab, while Drax, Rocket and I guard the outside of it."

"Um, Daddy?" Maia tugged on Peter's shirt. He gave her a smile similar to one of the Cheshire Cat and picked her up, placing her on his hip. "What are we gonna do?"

" _You_ are going to stay here and guard the lab from above."

"But that's boring!" Peter chuckled a little at the petite girl's adorable scowl and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I promise, it won't be." Maia sighed as Peter gave her a small kiss on her forehead and placed her back on the ground. "Okay, guys. Let's move out!" As soon as Peter finished his sentence, he watched as Maia ran up to Mantis and grabbed her hand, leaving the cockpit. In a matter of seconds, everyone had left to suit up, leaving him and Gamora alone. They met up in the middle of the room, very little space between them. "Aren't you gonna suit up?"

"I already am."

"Oh yeah?" Peter clicked his tongue and glanced down at the woman's hip. "Where's your sword?"

Gamora looked down at her sheath-it was gone. "Peter-" She warned, giving him a stern look.

The man chuckled and pulled out Gamora's Godslayer from his jacket. He held it out as if to give it to her, but as soon as she attempted to grab it, Peter wrapped his free arm around her, pulled her in close, hiding the sword behind his back. "Ya know, the thing to being a thief-you steal something and you sell it to a buyer who is offering a pretty sick deal."

Gamora sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Okay. What is it you want me to offer?" She asked in a flirtatious tone, looking up at Peter through her eyelashes.

Peter tilted his head, gazing at the woman's soft brown eyes and pressing his lips together. "How about a dance?"

"A dance?"

"Yup. That way you have a reason to stay alive."

"Peter, I'm not gonna die-"

"Wait," He interrupted. "I'm not done." Peter closed the gap between them and leaned into her ear. "And a good luck kiss." He whispered, moving enough to see her lips. He closed his eyes and leaned in.

Suddenly, his eyes flew open after he was flipped to the ground with a beautiful woman, trapping him in between her legs. A playful smirk danced upon her lips as she teasingly waved her retracted sword in his face. "Ya know, the thing to being an assassin-you deceive." She stood up and started to leave, walking backwards and laughing at the man's shocked reaction.

"That's it?!" Gamora nodded, continuing to smirk. "Mine was better!" The woman shrugged her shoulders before turning around and leaving Peter speechless on the ground.


	7. Yesterday

_Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away_  
 _Now it looks as though they're here to stay_  
 _Oh, I believe in yesterday_

 _Suddenly I'm not half the man I used to be_  
 _There's a shadow hanging over me_  
 _Oh, yesterday came suddenly_

"Maia, why are you listening to such a melancholy song?" Mantis's voice interrupted the music that the wide-eyed child beside her had projected through the intercom.

Maia propped her elbows up on her knees, staring at the floor. "I don't know." She replied honestly. "I think it sounds pretty." The bug-like woman eyed her from the side and begun to stretch her arm out towards the young girl. Suddenly, she remembered Gamora's wise words about asking the members of her newfound family before using her empathic powers on them and drew her hand back. Maia saw her actions through the corner of her eye and turned towards her. "It's okay." The young girl said with a smile.

Mantis returned the gesture and laid a hand on the young girl's shoulder. Her antennae lit up as she hummed in contentment. "You feel relaxed. I agree with you-it _does_ sound lovely." They sat there for a moment, smiling at each other before Mantis's antennae twitched. "Oh! Your parents are leaving soon. You must say goodbye!" She exclaimed, watching as the girl slid off the grungy couch and ran out of the room.

* * *

The smile on her face was contagious. It was the type of smile that let everyone know, no matter how much she would deny it, she was falling madly in love with him. Gamora walked into the hallway, finally turning her head towards her direction of travel, noticing the silhouette of a muscular man, who was anything but smiles. The large smile on her face faded, when she saw the scowl on Drax's. She approached him, crossing her arms over chest. "Drax, is everything alright?"

The large man took a deep breath, looking at her sternly. "I do not approve of this at all."

"The mission?" Gamora asked in confusion. "I thought you'd be all up for this mission-"

"Not the mission." He interrupted, every muscle in his body tensing.

Gamora continued to look at him in confusion, narrowing her eyebrows. "Okay. Are you talking about L'Wit, then? You have to help me out, Drax. I can't read your mind."

Drax sighed. "I do not approve of your intimate relationship with Quill."

The emerald-skinned woman in front of him simmered with anger. Every muscle in her jaw twitched as her lips drew back into a snarl. She pinned her eyes on Drax as if she could attack at any given moment. "Are you kidding me?"

"Why would I banter about this?" He asked, mirroring her position.

"What goes on between Peter and I is none of your concern." She snapped, ignoring his question.

Drax raised his voice a little, frustrated that she couldn't see where she was wrong. "You are wrong in the way you think!"

"How am I wrong, Drax?!"

"You are wrong about Quill! You are wrong about Maia!" Gamora opened her mouth as if to speak, but closed it as Drax interrupted her once again. "You are not Maia's mother! You need to stop acting as such! As for Quill-" The blood in the emerald-skinned woman's veins. Her eyebrows snapped forward as if they were being attracted to a magnet. Drax saw the warning of a glare in her eyes, but continued to make his point. "Quill conceived Maia with another woman. It would not be righteous to deprive Maia of the relationship she should have with her biological mother-"

Gamora choked out a laugh in disbelief, interrupting the man as he spoke. She placed her hands on her hips and bit her bottom lip. "Wow. You are-" She laughed again. "Wow."

"I only speak of the truth-"

"WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF SHE'S ALIVE, DRAX!" She yelled, unwanted tears welling up in her eyes. She was unaware of how loud she was until her voice echoed through the hall. "Even if we did find her mother, I would never, in a millennium, deprive her of that."

"That's exactly what you are doing. With you and Quill courting each other, Maia would not focus on who her true mother is."

"Her true mother?! Drax, where has this woman been all of her life? What kind of mother is she, not evening attempting to search for her daughter?"

"Not everyone has that choice, Gamora. You of all people, should understand decisions as such." And with that, the man pivoted on his foot, leaving Gamora standing with her mouth agape.

He was right; she should be more understanding. This woman could be deathly-ill, like Peter's mother was. She could be the target of a group of criminals and is only trying to protect Maia from them. She could be dead- _could be._

Gamora had to make hard decisions herself. The decision to kill millions of innocents, knowing it'd eventually gain her the title 'The Most Dangerous Woman In The Galaxy', but to save her own life. The decision to finally go against Thanos, knowing it would risk her life, but for the safety of everyone else-for the entire universe. The decision to keep Maia, knowing the consequences of her becoming their apprentice, but for she did it for her happiness. Now, she knew she had to make even harder decisions for the young child, which is why she knew she was going to do something that would break both of their hearts.

With glassy eyes, the woman took a deep breath. She turned to go back into the cargo hold, but was blocked by a tall, muscular figure with a look of concern in his eyes. "Hey, is everything okay?" The woman couldn't bare to look the man in his hazel eyes. Instead, she hesitantly brought her hands together, wrapping her index finger and thumb around the ebony band that fit perfectly on her left ring finger, and gently tugged it into the palm of her hand. Her emerald hand reached for Peter's fair one, as she placed the ring in his hand and closed it. She stared at their hands for a moment, finding it hard to take hers off of his. "I-I don't understand. Is this about the comment I made about your ass?" Gamora finally pulled her hands away, clenching her jaw, trying to avoid the tears that dared to fall. "Cuz' if I'm gonna be completely honest, I really do think you have a cute ass."

 _Dammit._ She thought to herself. _How can he make serious situations into a joke and be so goddamn charming at the same time?_ "Peter, stop-" The lump in her throat, made her voice crack. "I'm serious." She pivoted on her foot and started to walk away.

"Wait, Gamora, what's going on?" The man started following her in suit.

" _What's going on_ is you're gonna stay here with Maia." She began to speed up her pace.

"Wait, slow down." He grabbed her wrist, as she whipped herself around, revealing the tears flowing down her cheeks. "Hey, what's wrong?" Peter pulled her into a hug. She accepted it for a moment before violently breaking out of his embrace, making the mistake of looking him in the eyes and seeing the hurt that filled them.

Gamora's brown eyes shot back to the ground. "Peter, this is wrong." She stated, blinking as more tears fell. She sniffled and wiped the tears off her face. "We can't be together." Her voice was almost inaudible.

"Wait, what? We were fine five minutes ago. What happened?!"

"Please don't make this harder than it already is, Peter." The former assassin's voice cracked as she spoke his name. Her eyes stung, seeing the pain she was causing to Peter. "This hurts me just as much as it hurts you."

"THEN, WHY ARE YOU DOING IT?!" He cried out as tears started to stream down his face as well. "IF IT HURTS YOU THAT MUCH-WHY?!"

"BECAUSE OF MAIA!" Gamora shook her head, finally looking the man in his eyes.

"WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH MAIA?!" Peter threw his hands up in exasperation. "SHE LOOKS UP TO YOU! SHE LOVES YOU!"

"That's my point, Peter." The crack in her voice sounded as if a twig had just snapped. It sounded as if she was losing her voice.

"IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!"

"Maia has a mother out there-"

"EXACTLY-YOU!"

"No, Peter...not me. As much as I would love to be that child's mother, I can't. If we find her mother, she wouldn't treat her as one. Maia needs her actual mother, not me."

The man in front of her softened his voice, stuffed up from the tears he was still shedding. "Gamora, that's not true. This doesn't sound like you-where is all this coming from?"

"Drax-"

Peter gave her a look of disbelief. "Really? You're listening to Drax about this?!"

"Peter, enough. Please-"

"No, Gamora. Drax is completely clueless! As bad as it sounds, when's the last time he actually knew what it felt like to be a father? Has he even given the thought that maybe he isn't Camaria's birth father? Would he say the same thing if that happened to him?!"

"Peter, just stop." She sobbed, finally turning her back to Peter and speed-walking in the opposite direction.

* * *

She sped to the docking bay of the Quadrant, frantically trying to dry her tears. They wouldn't stop coming. She saw L'Wit and Rocket loading up the Benatar with supplies and she could hear the sound of Peter's footsteps running after her. Her feet skidded to a stop when a small child blocked the entrance to the ship. She ran to Gamora, unaware of the tears streaming down her face and dug her face into Gamora's leg. "Can I come with, please?! I've gotten better with my blaster! I can handle myself!"

"No, Maia." She sniffled. "Change of plans, guys. Mantis you're coming instead of Peter." She turned towards the bug lady behind her, watching as Mantis's antennae drooped a little, while her face scrunched up in confusion.

"I am confused. I thought you wished for Peter to accompany you-"

"No. Peter needs to stay here with Maia." As if on cue, Peter walked in just as she finished her sentence, a somber look upon his face. Maia looked up at her, finally realizing the tears flooding her eyes. Her eyes started to fill up with tears as well as she strengthened her grip on Gamora's leg. Drax walked in on the scene, ignoring what was happening as he made his way towards the ship. He felt a glare on him as he walked past L'Wit, entering the Benatar.

"Mama, what's wrong?" Maia asked in a brittle voice. Gamora pulled her small arms off of her leg and knelt down in front of her.

"I'm not your mother, Maia. You have to stop thinking of me as one." Her voice broke as she looked away from the child's heartbroken face, biting her lip. "You're staying here with your father." She quickly sprung up, walking around the weeping child and making her way towards the ship.

"MAMA!" The child's scream was so inhuman, it broke the hearts of everyone watching. She began to run after her, but was scooped up by Peter. She squirmed in his grasp, trying to escape. "MAMA! MAMA! MAMA! COME BACK!"

"STOP CALLING ME MAMA." Gamora turned around before entering the ship, watching as the young girl gave up and laid her head on Peter's shoulder, sobbing in hysterics. "I'm not your mother..." She choked out. "Mantis, let's go!"

Mantis looked at Peter, then at Gamora. A look of anguish was painted upon her face. She ran to the Benatar once she felt Gamora's teary death stare on her. The three women watched the father and daughter as the ship ascended and the ramp closed. The vertical lift door of the hangar's vestibule opened as the ship approached it. It closed behind them as the ship finally exited the Quadrant.

"What just happened, Daddy? Why did she do that?"

Peter wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "I don't know, Peanut." Maia tightened her grip on her father, sobbing into his shoulder.

 _Why she had to go_

 _I don't know, she wouldn't say_

 _I said something wrong_

 _Now I long for yesterday..._


	8. A Bridge Over Troubled Water

As the Benatar flew into orbit, Gamora sat in her respective seat in the cockpit, alone and deep in thought. She was thumbing her half of the pendant, something that she found herself doing often when she was separated from Peter. _'My mom told me it symbolized friendship and loyalty and...love.' They both stiffened a little at the mention of the word, but neither one of them moved their hands. 'She said it also symbolized that no matter how far the two were from each other, they would always remain best friends...family. I want you to have the other half.'_ She felt a tear slide down her cheek, thinking of the memory, leaning back in her chair.

The ship was slightly larger than the Milano, having a wider wingspan and a deeper cockpit. It also had eight seats, instead of five. Painted orange and grey, instead of orange and blue. It didn't feel like home to Gamora, though. She missed the unpleasant smells that she had gotten used to. She missed all the fun they had before...Ego.

Most of all, she missed Peter. She missed Maia. Even though she had left not even twenty minutes before, she missed them. Leaving wasn't even the reason she missed them-it was because of the events that happened before. She had given Peter her promise ring back, telling him that things wouldn't work between them. Then, Maia-poor Maia. Gamora could see the heartbreak in the young child's eyes. She felt guilty and pissed. Pissed at herself. _Why did I listen to Drax?_ She questioned herself. _Why?_ Deep down, however, she knew the answer.

Ever since she met her, Gamora saw the purest innocence in Maia. With everything she had been through, the light always shined in her beautiful, hazel eyes. Then, there was Ego. That son of a bitch turned Maia and Peter into batteries. She remembered seeing Maia's eyes, filled with fear. The young girl thought she was going to die, right then and there-right next to her daddy. Every so often, she would see that light sparkle in the slightest, but it never returned for good. It was all her fault. She was the one who convinced Peter to go.

Gamora never knew love. For most of her life, she never received it. Deep down, it frightened her. She was afraid of screwing up. She was afraid of getting someone killed and the one risk she took for someone she _loved,_ almost did. The past two and a half weeks, the darkness in Maia's eyes and the memories that followed, haunted Gamora more and more, each and every day. She knew Drax was wrong in what he said, but it didn't help her case. In that moment, she felt that maybe they'd be better without her, using Drax's opinion as an excuse to hide what she actually felt- _and also to make him shut up_.

It was the redness of Peter's eyes and the tears that flooded onto Maia's rosy cheeks that convinced her that she had made a mistake. It was then she lost control of her emotions and had to leave before she screwed up anything else.

Now, here she was, sobbing silently to herself in an unfamiliar ship. _No Peter_ to console her. _No Maia_ to cheer her up. It was just herself, the growling of the engines, and a queue of Peter's music that Rocket had installed, softly playing around her. The only thing supporting her, was the song that was currently playing. She closed her eyes, allowing a few stray tears to fall.

 _When you're weary  
_ _Feeling small  
_ _When tears are in your eyes  
_ _I will dry them all_

It felt as if Peter _was_ there beside her, singing along softly, holding her close, and running his hands through her hair. Peter was her 'bridge' and she was the 'troubled water'...but her _bridge_ was not by her side to dry her tears. Darkness came and all she felt was pain, but so did her _bridge._ Now, he was gone.

* * *

Below the deck of the cockpit, L'Wit was frantically searching for Drax. Mantis and Rocket sat at the table in front of the ladder, watching her pace in every direction. It wasn't until she heard the crunching of zargnuts that the reptilian alien speed-walked towards him, snatching the bag out of his hands and violently throwing it to the ground as zargnuts flew everywhere.

"What the hell did I tell you NOT TO DO?!" She growled, watching as Drax threw his hands up in defense.

"Hey, I was eating those-" Drax sighed in exasperation.

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I GIVE A SHIT?!" The musclebound man shrugged as L'Wit rolled her eyes. "To be completely honest," She started out softer. "I haven't seen Gamora so content and relaxed with her life. You just took that away, Drax. You're such a shitty friend." With that, she walked away, leaving Rocket, Mantis, and Drax with their jaws hanging to the ground.

"Those were the last bag of zargnuts..." Rocket shook his head in disbelief, returning his attention to the weapon he was tinkering on.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

The tears had subsided, but her eyes were still bloodshot. She dug her head further into Peter as he continued to rub her back. "Why would she do that, Daddy? Doesn't she love us?"

Peter's heart was breaking once again. Not only had the only woman he ever loved ended things with him, but also ended things with his daughter. Her heart was broken, and so was his. However, Peter knew Gamora more than she knew herself. He knew what lies behind her walls and he knew when she wasn't being completely honest with him. He knew that this was one of those times.

The man sighed and shifted the young child to where she was facing him. "Mama-" He stopped himself, respecting Gamora's wishes. "Gamora had a complicated past, you know that right?" Maia nodded her head, looking him in the eyes. "Deep down, Gamora loves all of us to death, especially you, but..." He paused, trying to think of how to phrase the next few words. "She-she doesn't want to hurt us."

"But she just did." The young girl whispered, almost inaudibly. She laid her head back on his shoulder.

"I know."

"What happened, Cap'n?" Kraglin asked as a slightly larger Groot revealed himself from behind. The small tree ran to the chair that seated Maia and Peter, climbing onto Peter's lap, and wrapping his small vines around them. Peter took a deep breath, explaining everything.

* * *

The lab was just how she remembered it. It looked like a rusted, old warehouse with several semi-spherical domes surrounding it. The thought sent shivers down her spine as she remembered it all-Tartoonla #7. She disobeyed Thanos's orders and she paid the price. Thanos wouldn't let her _die_. She just wanted to _die_. Instead, he discarded the broken _human_ parts of her, and replaced her with new, _enhanced_ replacements. She remembered asking Thanos if she was still human and him responding, _'No. Does it really matter? Now you're_ better _than human, little one.'_ She clutched herself before walking off the ramp, flinching when a hand touched her shoulder.

"Gamora, is everything alright?" L'Wit asked in concern, withdrawing her hand from the woman.

Gamora blinked for a moment before clearing her throat. "Yeah-yeah. I'm fine." L'Wit nodded, hardly believing a word. "Let's just get this over with."

"You have the data-chips?" Rocket asked from behind. Gamora pulled out three blue, opaque cards, no bigger than the pad of her thumb and as thin as a piece of paper. She slid them back in the pocket of her leather tailcoat. "Okay. We'll stay here and guard the outside. So far it looks deserted, but you guys should get out of there as soon as you can." L'Wit exchanged a look with Gamora. "Be careful..." Rocket whispered, watching as they exited the ramp.

"You didn't bring a weapon with you, did you?" L'Wit didn't answer. "I figured." Gamora unsheathed a dagger with a black jagged hilt and handed it to the woman beside her. "You know, it's been seven years. I thought you would've known by now that it's not a bad idea to carry a weapon with you."

"You know me-I don't do weapons, unless it's necessary."

"Exactly. You never know when you'll need one." She glanced at L'Wit as they entered the building. "Keep that one. At least you'll have something." L'Wit nodded in thanks as she cautiously guided Gamora to the database.

Out of the corner of her eye, Gamora saw something move. Then, she heard it. In a matter of seconds, she stealthily ran towards the sound and shoved her Godslayer into its chest. L'Wit turned around with wide eyes. "Seven years and you're still a badass. You just killed that Chitauri guard like he was nothing!"

"That's because he wasn't." Gamora pulled her sword out of the corpse's chest, watching the dead body fall to the ground as she sheathed it. L'Wit shrugged her shoulders before leading the way once again.

They finally reached the room Gamora was experimented in as a child. The woman's stomach knotted as she entered the room. It looked almost as if it was untouched since _that_ day. The metallic tile floor was as spotless as ever and advanced technology covered most of the walls. A large hospital bed with several pillows and a thin yellow sheet, sat in the middle of the room. Several light panels and IV poles were attached to the sides of it. Even that long mirror was still in the same place. The only difference was the ceiling light. She remembered it being so bright that you would barely be able to tell that there was even a floor. Now, it was fairly dim, giving off enough light to barely see. She broke out of her thoughts and followed L'Wit to the database monitor.

"I'll cover you." L'Wit announced, positioning herself in front of the door.

Gamora pulled out a data-chip and inserted it into a slot on the monitor. She began to hack into the system, failing every attempt she made. "L'Wit." The reptilian woman walked over as Gamora gestured to her. "How did you manage to hack in last time?"

L'Wit took over the controls and began to attempt the same method she used the last time she was there. It failed. "Shit!" She exclaimed under her breath. "They must've upped the security on this thing."

They didn't have time. They needed to get out of there as soon as they could. Gamora turned on her com. "Rocket, we need you."

 _"What's up?"_

"The security is too advanced on this database. Neither L'Wit or I can hack it."

 _"Okay, I'm coming."_

Within a few minutes, Rocket found them...and Drax...and Mantis. "Drax! Mantis! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be guarding the entrance!" Gamora hissed through her teeth.

"I thought Rocket would need back-up. I told Mantis to guard the entrance."

"You did not! I thought we were all going inside!"

"Yes, I did!"

"STOP! Just, guard the door." Gamora ordered, rubbing her temples. She turned back around towards the monitor, noticing that Rocket had already hacked into the database and started encrypting and transferring L'Wit's files.

"How'd you do that so fast?" L'Wit asked in shock.

"Meh," Rocket shrugged, intertwining his claws and stretching them towards the ceiling. "It's kind my specialty."

As soon as the files were done transferring, the cybernetic raccoon ejected the chip and handed it to L'Wit, grabbing the second one from Gamora and inserting it into the slot. L'Wit immediately whipped out her data-pad and inserted the chip inside, reading the information she had just received.

"There's my name." Gamora stated, pointing to one of the files. Rocket followed her finger and began to encrypt them.

"There's gotta be over a hundred files in this thing. Should we transfer it all?" He asked, keeping his eyes on the screen.

"I only brought three data-chips. We'd only have enough to transfer one more." The woman glanced over at L'Wit who was furrowing her brows as she continued to read the information off her data-pad. "We could give the coordinates to the Nova Corps."

"I was thinking someone else who would offer more units, but Nova's better than no one."

"It's not about the units, Rocket."

"I know, but-"

"SHIT!" L'Wit yelled, throwing her data-pad and watching it shatter to pieces. "IT'S ALL USELESS!"

Suddenly, a hologram appeared where L'Wit had thrown her device, capturing the attention of Gamora. The woman approached it in shock, using a hand to cover her gaping mouth. "Oh, my God." She whispered, biting back a scream. It was the same hologram Thanos had showed her _that_ day. The same hologram of her young self and a layout of all the parts being put in her.

A loud _THUD_ had broke her from her thoughts, followed by an alarm. She whipped around to see Mantis lying unconscious underneath a dead Chitauri guard. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!"

"I'll tell you what happened-Drax was being the idiot he always is, fought off a Chitauri guard, threw him into Mantis and sent them both flying into the alarm!" L'Wit explained through her teeth, pointing her dagger accusingly at the tattooed man.

"MANTIS SHOULD'VE HEEDED TO MY WARNING!"

"HOW COULD SHE IF YOU DIDN'T WARN HER UNTIL SHE WAS ALREADY DOWN-"

"STOP IT! I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU GUYS AGAIN!" Gamora yelled, running back to Rocket. "Rocket, you need to hurry!"

"I'M GOING AS FAST AS I CAN! IT DOESN'T HELP THAT YOUR FILE HAD TEN TIMES THE INFORMATION THAT L'WIT'S DID! PLUS, WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME TO HURRY?! THIS IS ALL DRAX'S FAULT!"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHOSE FAULT IT IS! WE NEED TO LEAVE, NOW!"

As if on cue, a dozen Chitauri guards infiltrated the room. Drax let out a battle cry as he and L'Wit ran after them with their daggers, taking them out one by one. One snuck up behind L'Wit, getting a dagger launched in its forehead. L'Wit turned around to an amused Drax. "This doesn't make up for what you did." She pulled the dagger of the the corpse's head and flung it at another Chitauri behind Drax.

"DONE!" Rocket exclaimed, quickly taking out the data-chip and handing it to Gamora, wiping the system.

"WHAT'D YOU DO THAT FOR?!" L'Wit exclaimed, noticing what Rocket had done. "THERE COULD'VE BEEN MORE USEFUL INFORMATION ON THERE!"

"ABOUT WHAT?! YOUR DEAR OLD FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WIPED OUT EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWED YOU?! YEAH, I DON'T THINK SO!"

"ROCKET! Too far."

Drax finished off the last guard as the alarm continued to blare. "We need to leave before more come."

"Listen L'Wit, Rocket and I were looking at the names of some of these files. They're too dangerous to leave here. If Thanos needs to access any of that information-" L'Wit nodded, understanding her point. "Okay. Then, let's get out of here before we get attacked by another group of guards."

* * *

After they returned to the Quadrant, everyone went their separate ways for the night with the exception of Gamora and Peter. As much as she loathed to see him at the moment, she had no choice. They sat at the dining table in silence, beside each other.

"Gamora,-"

"We're not talking about this, Peter."

"I know what you said was bullshit. What's really going on-"

"I SAID WE'RE NOT SPEAKING OF THIS!" She snapped, watching as Peter deflated into his chair. The woman took a deep breath, feeling guilty for snapping.

"You never hurt us, Gamora. Stop trying to push us away."

Gamora was glad that he was no longer looking at her. She didn't want him to see the tears that fell from her eyes. "We're just looking at these files. Nothing less. Nothing more."

Peter sat up and watched as she skimmed through each of the files on the data-chip. He got bored of the silence and started staring off into nothing. "Peter." The mention of his name brought him back to reality as he scanned Gamora's shocked face. "I think I found Maia's biological mother..."


	9. Don't Ever Let Go

There were about ten of them— _video logs_. They were all under Gamora's file, labeled in order by date. The one they were watching at that moment was recorded in the laboratory they had just infiltrated. A man in a white lab coat, stood in front of the camera. He looked almost Terran, having skin a shade paler than Peter's and eyes grey as rain clouds. The bottom, left-hand corner of the recording displayed a familiar name: _Kefir_. Both Peter and Gamora knew that name better than any of the other Guardians—it was the name of the man who took in Maia.

' _The theory is, we can take DNA from two individuals and fuse them together to create an extraordinary hybrid. This hybrid will be called the Molecular Artificial Inception Anomaly or M.A.I.A. for short.'_ A young Kefir explained in the recording, walking around several large pieces of equipment. _'The process will go like this_ _—'_ The man stopped in front of an off-white incubator with several slots that were meant to hold syringes. _'We insert the DNA of the two individuals in these slots and within a week, a fully grown, intellectually advanced fetus will emerge from the egg. However,-'_ Kefir continued walking, stopping in front of a rectangular hologram that displayed various charts and information about them. _'From the research we have gathered from the DNA, we have theorized that the hybrid will have the growth-rate and lifespan of a Terran.'_

 _'Doctor, you have stated that you and your staff are using DNA from two individuals. Who are they?'_ A person who sounded slightly younger asked shyly, from behind the camera.

 _'I'm glad you asked, Galen. Stand next to me for a moment, so Thanos can see your presence.'_ Galen, who appeared to be no older than a teenage boy, did as he was told. He was probably related Kefir, having identical features. _'My brother asks a valuable question_ _—who ARE these fortunate individuals? Of course, you know your favorite daughter, Gamora is one. The other, however, is no other than Peter Jason Quill: an extraordinary Terran hybrid, himself, with an ancient Celestial heritage to his name.'_

"It isn't possible!" Peter exclaimed, pausing the video after listening to the audio for what seemed like the hundredth time. "I didn't even know that back then! Nobody did! How did they find that out?!"

Gamora was curled into herself, biting her lip and pacing around the room. "I don't know-"

"Furthermore, this Kefir guy sounded really into all this genetic modification cloning bs! Why the hell would he take Maia away if he was that loyal to Thanos?!"

"Peter, we'll figure this all out. I promise." Gamora took the data-pad from Peter and started tapping it. After a few moments, she gave it back. "Kefir might be dead, but Galen is far from it. He lives on his own on Xandar. He's probably our only chance at getting answers."

Peter nodded, placing the data-pad back on the table and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'll explain everything to Rocket and tell him to set coordinates for Xandar." He shifted his eyes to Gamora, who was staring at him with a look combined of hope and melancholy. "Does this mean that you're Maia's-"

Gamora shrugged, breaking her stare. "We can't tell her, unless were positive. The last thing she needs is for me to let her down once again. I've already messed up so much." She curled into herself once again, turning her back to Peter as tears fell from her eyes. The emerald-skinned woman couldn't hold it back anymore.

The guilt finally cornered her and drowned her into a dark void that she couldn't escape from. She needed to tell someone. She needed to tell _him_. And she knew, with all the damage she did to both him and Maia, she didn't deserve his respect or love. Yet, that guilt was so powerful that she uncharacteristically fell to her knees and starting sobbing uncontrollably into the palms of her hands.

Without a second thought, Peter ran to her side. "Hey-hey. Gamora, what's going on? This isn't like you at all. Please, talk to me."

"I'm sorry, Peter. I'm so sorry." She choked through sobs.

Peter hadn't seen her look so much like a child—so small and vulnerable. All he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her. He knew it was a risky move, considering what had happened prior to the last mission, but it was a risk he was willing to take for her. To his surprise, she gave in and crumbled into his chest.

"You were right, I'm not being honest with you." Gamora murmured into his chest, after the tears had subsided. She looked up at him with bloodshot eyes. "I didn't pull away from you guys because I felt that Maia should be with her biological mother. I pulled away because every time I get close to people, someone always gets hurt."

"Gamora, what do you mean? We're all screwed up assholes who make mistakes. Stop feeling like you're the only one, please."

"I convinced you to go to Ego. Maia wouldn't be the way she is now if it wasn't for me."

"We've already talked about this, Gamora. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't my fault. That dipshit of a 'dad' fooled all of us." Gamora laid her head back on Peter's chest. "We all make mistakes, Gamora, especially me. I made a promise to you and it wasn't a mistake, and I intend to keep it." Peter pulled out the black promise ring, showing it to Gamora as if asking for permission to place it on her finger. She gave him her hand and watched as he slid the ring on. He brought her hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, thumbing the ring as he brought it back down.

"Aren't you gonna tell Rocket about-"

"In a second. I just got my girl back. I don't wanna let her go, yet."

Gamora's lips twitched upwards as Peter planted a lingering kiss to her temple. She closed her eyes in contentment, breathing in his scent and nuzzling farther into him. She was finally _home._

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry that this was such a short chapter guys! The next one will be longer, I promise! For those of you who are a little confused as to why Gamora listened to Drax and why she's seems a little OOC at the moment, it's because she's confused. This is someone who's never really experienced love. Deep down, Gamora's a huge softie and she has a heart of gold, but she has a hard time opening up and talking about how she feels. She feels that she's toxic to Peter and Maia, pushing them away before she hurts them more than she feels she already has. She knew what Drax was saying was complete nonsense, but she was using it as an excuse because she knew Peter would try to convince her that she isn't toxic to them. As you can see, her plan failed and Peter clearly understands why she feels that way and is trying to help her understand that they're all afraid and that they all make mistakes.**


End file.
